the land of make believe

is inhabited by puppets like these.


Folkmanis makes beautiful and affordable puppets in all shapes and sizes.
From the tiniest turtle to a tiger as big as a toddler they are sure to delight all who see them.

the perfect toy?

Little Man received several Plan Toys for his birthday and we both love them. He likes the bright colors and interactive features and I like the good looks and simple wooden construction.

Made from rubber trees that are too old for commercial production, Plan Toys cost far less than similarly modern designs and don't use a spot of plastic.

Everyone's a winner when you combine classic toys with the natural beauty of wood--especially when you keep things vibrant and youthful.

sing out loud

One of Little Man's favorite activities is Music Together class. We love our teacher Nikolai and he just released a wonderful children's album. You can download Tabula Rasa here and support a fantastic musician. My favorite song is "When I Was A Baby"--it has been our lullaby for a long time now.

We have been very busy these past few weeks dealing with a cranky post-operative toddler. But I wanted to take a moment to encourage everyone to support your local children's hospital and charities devoted to making hospital stays a little more fun for kids.

Child's Play
Cole's Closet
Starlight Children's Foundation
Project Linus

the little things

As Little Man's first birthday fast approaches I find myself getting a bit wistful. I have been pouring over his baby book and early pictures and packing away his tiny clothes. But I find myself returning to one object over and over--a simple wooden block engraved with all the details of his birth. There is something so solid and reassuring about the little cube,as if its clean,woody scent and heft allude to both the purity and promise of a new baby.

a splash of color

cb2 has just released their new fall catalog and they have some darling kid-friendly designs inside. This sunny bird pillow would be a natural in any child's room. How about a heard of prancing calves for a farm-themed nursery?

Safe for the little explorers out there are the stainless steel cylinder vases,

resin bath accessories

and the lightweight iron and enamel bowls.

we've got the beat

Flash Beat Drum by I-Play

I am not usually a fan of plastic or battery-operated toys but we all adore this wonderful little drum. It has three settings: standard drum, silly sounds and Caribbean steel drum songs. The tunes are long enough that they don't fill my head in an endless loop like some musical toys and the volume control really works. Perhaps my favorite feature are the soothing chime sounds that play when the drum tips on its side. Before he was coordinated enough to play the drum Little Man was able to knock it over and roll it around on the floor. Even the colors manage to be fresh and fun instead of garish.